In her defense, your honor,when someone grows up abused--that is to saydefining lovableas everything they are not--you’re gonna do some off the wall shit.

In her defense, your honor,she’s just a child.Which doesn’t excuse the behavior but doesrequire us to examine it.

In her defense, your honor,she did try to get some of it outin poemsand shrinesand collecting every kindnesshe ever gave her.She did try.

In her defense, your honor, she does have heart.So much thather knees are stickyfrom the flood it creates.And one dayshe could figure out thather feelingis not ten sizes too bigfor her too small chest.She could figure out that the world was just too weakto hold her ache.

In her defense, your honor,when you like-like someone andthat is the only good in your lifeyou will hold onto that like-likeuntil you can make it loveuntil you can make sure it will not run away.

In her defense, your honor,she did not know that holding that longturned to squeezing so quick.She did not know that caring like thatwould make it stop breathing.

In her defense, your honor,the prosecution is correct.The name-calling and shovingand spitballs and threats fromol’ betsy and the five avengersare wrong, yes,but, your honor, what in her life has forced herto believe the only way to speak trueis through violence?

In her defense, your honor,if you take a look at her home life,we all knowher family was not going to teach herthe rightway to do this.And you can't punish her for wanting.For longing for the good beatingshining in the injured’s chestafter years of sculptinghearts from shit.

In her defense, your honor,no one got hurt--permanently--,aside from the defendantand in her case, she won't evenrealize that until years later.

In my defense, your honor,life during trauma demands languageno one wants to learn to speak.

In our defense, your honor,you cannot blame only us for the bloodwhen no one answered our screaming.

ALEXIS SMITHERS is a queer black writer from the DMV. Their work can be found in BE ABOUT IT Zine, Rising Phoenix Press, and Freezeray Press among others. They will attend LAMBDA Literary Retreat for Emerging Writers as a Young Adult Fellow in summer 2016. They tweet at @DangerLove12.

ALLI "SKIRTZZZ" WHITE is an independent business owner and freelance artist who resides on a mountain in Northwestern Idaho. When she's not talking to the wild turkeys, she's probably drawing cute girls. Her website is skirtzzz.com